Continuous exposure of printing blocks or cylinders



March 31, 1964 R. KAULEN 3,126,808

CONTINUOUS EXPOSURE OF PRINTING BLOCKS OR CYLINDERS FOR INTAGLIOPRINTING OR THE LIKE Filed Nov. 25, 1960 INVENTOR Robert Kaulen.

g q m AT Y United States Patent CONTINUOUS EXPOSURE 0F PRINTING BLOCKSOR CYLINDERS FOR INTAGLIO PRINTING OR THE LIKE Robert .Kaulen, Lovenieh,Bezirk Cologne, Germany, assignor to Dr. Bekk & Kaulen Chemische FabrikG.m.b.H., Cologne, Germany, a firm Filed Nov. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 71,629Claims priority, application Germany Nov. 28, 1959 11 Claims. (CI.95-75) This invention relates to the continuous exposure of printingblocks, in particular of printing cyclinders, which are coated with aphotosensitive solution, (colloid solution) for intaglio printing or thelike.

The exposure of printing blocks or cylinders rendered photosensitive onthe periphery, and having a copy-pattern stretched over them,necessitates considerable time in the general process and operation ofmanufacturing printing blocks or printing cylinders, and themanufacturing operation, which in other respects may be conductedcontinuously, is sometimes seriously disturbed and slowed down. Thisdrawback can be remedied if a plurality of exposure apparatuses is setup, but is uneconnomic, not only as to cost, but also as to the spacerequirements.

According to the invention these disadvantages are eliminated. Theinvention is characterized in that the printing blocks, in particularthe printing cylinders, are moved past fixed light sources, and are keptin constant rotation, during their exposure. The feed of the printingblock to the exposure apparatus, and removal of it therefrom, may takeplace automatically. The printing blocks are advantageously arranged ina fiat, i.e. a horizontal position, in series one behind the other, andmoved along for the purpose of exposure.

The device for carrying out the process according to the invention isconstructed in a manner wherein the exposure device comprises a conveyordevice arranged horizontally and provided with brackets to receive theprinting blocks. The brackets are constructed for the printing blocks tobe rotatably journalled in them. During the transport of the printingblocks lying horizontally and arranged one behind the other, eachindividual printing block is set in rotation. This may conveniently beeffected by a belt-like drive device which engages with spindles onwhich the printing blocks are mounted.

The apparatus according to the invention enables the exposure process tobe operated continuously and in conformity with the other continuousoperations in the manufacture and completion of printing cylinders. Theprinting cylinders may be constantly fed to the device and constantlyremoved from it, while the entire process can be carried out with onecontinuous transporting device. The light sources. are stationary, andthe printing blocks moved past them. During transport of the printingblocks in the exposure chamber, constant rotation of the printingcylinders is simultaneously ensured, so that each point on the peripheryof the printing cylinder is uniformly exposed. The arrangement accordingto the invention further enables light sources to be arranged on bothsides of the device so that the exposure time can be considerablyreduced. Alternatively a light source may be located on one side of theprinting blocks and a mirror surface be provided on the other side,which mirror appropriately throws back light rays from the light sourceson the other side of the blocks.

According to further features of the invention the conveyor deviceemployed may be a conveyor chain which is guided around drive and guidedrums, respectively. 011 links of the chain are located the bracketswhich receive the spindles of the printing blocks. The brackets3,126,808 Patented Mar. 31, 1964 ICC may conveniently be in the form ofbearing blocks, with semicircular bearings open upwards, for theprinting block spindle. On the rear of each bearing block with referenceto the direction of transport there may be provided an extension bywhich the automatic removal of the printing blocks from a feed block maybe effected. The feed block may conveniently be movable.

The belt-like drive device, whereby the printing blocks rotatablyjournalled in the bearings thereof are adapted to be set in rotation,may consist of a chain which engages with sprockets mounted on theprinting block spindle. The chain for the drive device is driven in amanner wherein its lower run moves in the opposite direction to thetransport direction of the printing blocks, and thus automatic rotationof the printing blocks is obtained on the translational path of theprinting blocks, even when the drive chain is stationary. Upon movementof the drive chain in the opposite direction to the transport direction,the rate of rotation of the printing blocks may be considerablyincreased.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by referenceto the following detailed description, the appended claims and theseveral views illustrated in the accompanying drawing:

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of an exposure device accordingto the invention;

FIG. 2 is a device for taking over a printing block from a bearing blockor feed block on a larger scale; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-section along the line llIIl'l in FIG. 1.

The exposure device illustrated in the drawing comprises a stand 1extended in a horizontal direction, which carries, on beams 2 and 3,guide wheels in the form of chain drums 4 and 5, around which is guideda chain 6. The chain drum 4 may be driven by an electric motor eitherdirectly or by the interpositioning of a driven gear with step-up ratio.At least every second link 7 of the transport chain 6 is provided with abearing block 8, with semicircular bearing 9 open outwards. The spindles10 of the printing blocks 11 are rotatably journalled in these bearingblocks. Each bearing block 8 is provided, at the rear, with reference tothe transport direction of the chain 6, with an extension 12. Byengagement of this extension 12 on the end of the spindle 10 theprinting block 11 can be automatically removed from a transport block 13when the transport block 13 is approached closely enough to the conveyorchain 6. The transport block 13 is rendered mobile by means of therollers or wheels 14 and carries cantilever arms 15 each formed with abearing 16 open upwards. The arms 15 are arranged at a shorter distancefrom one another than the bearing blocks 8 of the chain 6, so that thetransport block 13 may, when the chain is running, be approachedsufficiently closely to the bearing block 8 for the spindle 10 of theprinting block to be caught by the extension 12 and thus lifted off thecantilever arm 15. Upon further movement of the bearing block 8 in thetransport direction, the spindle 10 automatically rolls into the openbearing recess 9.

The delivery to a further transport block 13 of the printing block whichhas been moved through the exposure device occurs in a similar manner,the transport block 13 having cantilever arms 17 with bearings 16. Inorder that the spindle of the printing block shall be released in goodtime from the downward-moving extension 12 of the bearing block 8, anoblique cam or a roller (not shown) may be provided on the arm 17, onwhich the extension 12 acts in the sense of a pushing away of the block11, so that the bearing block 8 with the exten- 3. I sion 12 may movedownward with the chain, unobstructed.

On both sides of the printing blocks spindle 10 may be fitted toothedwheels 18 with which may engage a chain 19 located above thertransportdevice 6 and guided. around guide rollers 20. The chain 19 is positionedat such a height as to be able to engage with the chain sprockets 18.The chain 19 is suitably driven so that its lower run moves in theopposite direction to the transport direction of the conveyor device 6.

Located above the stand 1, and the printing blocks 11 being moved alongit, are light sources 21, preferably stationary, which may bedistributed in any desired number and power over the length of thedevice. Light sources (not shown) may likewise be provided below theprinting blocks. A mirror 22 (FIG. 3) may be arranged to reflect therays emitted by the upper light sources, so that exposure of theprinting blocks from below is simultaneously eifected.

' The exposure apparatus according to the invention operatescontinuously in such a manner that a prearranged number of printingblocks are passed simultaneously through the exposure chamber, whileduring the translation movement of the printing blocks they aresimultaneously set in rotation by the aid of the chain 19 and the chainsprockets 18 located on the printing block spindles 10. The feed of theprinting block to and its removal from the exposure device may beeffected with the aid of the individual transport blocks 13 and 13*.These transport blocks may also be so formed that several printingblocks are located on them one behind the other, being fed in eachcasein the corresponding position to the bearing blocks 8 located on thechain 6. The speed of advance of the conveyor device 6 may becontinuously variable and regulated so as to ensure that the printingblock on leaving the exposure device at the end of the conveyor path hasbeen amply and sufficiently exposed.

The light sources employed may be the customary carbon filament lamps orare lighting appliances, or fluorescent tubes emitting the so-calledcold light. Where fluorescent tubes are used, these are convenientlysurrounded by a housing (not shown) which allows the light to pass onlyin the direction of the object to be illuminated, and shields it fromall other quarters. An eye protection (not shown) may further beprovided below the apparatus and also on the other two sides, e.g. byshield plates, so that an operator is in no way incomnioded by thelight, As virtually no heat is developed with fluorescent tubes, thepossibility exists of bringing the light source relatively close up tothe printing blocks to be exposed, whereby the exposure time may bereduced.

From the foregoing, itwill be seen that novel and advantageous'provision has been made for carrying out the desired end. However,attention is directed to the fact that Variations may be made in theexample method and apparatus disclosed herein without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What isclaimed is:

1. An exposure device for printing blocks such as printing cylinders forintaglio printing comprising a stationary light source, conveyor meansdisposed below said light source for moving printing blocks beneath saidlight source and thus exposing the printing blocks, and drive means forengaging and rotating the printing blocks during the movement thereofbelow said light source, whereby all of the periphery of each printingblock will be equally exposed.

2. The exposure device of claim 1 wherein said conveyor means includes aplurality of aligned brackets presenting outwardly opening generallysemicircular bearings for the reception of spindle ends of the printingblocks.

3. The exposure device of claim 2 wherein said drive means includes adrive chain for engagement with sprockets on the printing blockspindles.

4. The exposure device of claim 2 wherein said drive means includes adrive chain for engagement with sprockets on the printing blockspindles, and the direction of movement ofthe drive chain is opposite tothe direction of movement of said conveyor means.

5. The exposure device of claim 2 wherein each bracket has an extensionprojecting outwardly of the respective bearing and rearwardly thereof inthe direction of travel, whereby spindles of printing blocks may beautomatically seated in said bearings.

6. The exposure device of claim 1 wherein said light source issupplemented by a reflector disposed beneath said conveyor means path ofprinting block movement.

7. The exposure device of claim 1 together with transport means fordelivering unexposed printing blocks to said conveyor means, and whereinsaid conveyor means includes means for automatically removing printingblocks from said transport means.

8. The exposure device of claim 1 together with transport means fordelivering unexposed printing blocks to said conveyor means, and whereinsaid conveyor means includes means for automatically removing printingblocks from said transport means, and other transport means forreceiving exposed printing blocks from said conveyor means.

9. The exposure device of claim 1 wherein said conveyor means. includesa plurality of aligned brackets presenting outwardly opening generallysemicircular bearings for the reception of spindle ends of the printingblocks, and transport means for delivering unexposed printing blocks,said transport means including transversely spaced cantilever arms forsupporting the printing blocks by the spindles thereon for engagement bysaid bearings.

10. The exposure device of claim 9 wherein each bracket has an extensionprojecting outwardly of the respective bearing and rearwardly thereof inthe direction of travel, whereby spindles of printing blocks may beautomatically seated in said bearings.

11. An exposure apparatus for rotatable printing blocks and the like,said apparatus comprising means for feeding rotatable printing blocks toan exposure device in sequence, said printing blocks having alongitudinal axis and being fed in a linear path to said device withtheir longitudinal axes being arranged substantially parallel to eachother, a source of light for irradiating articles moving through saidexposure device, means for moving said printing blocks through saiddevice in sequence with their longitudinal axes substantially parallelto each other and substantially horizontal and for simultaneouslyrotating said printing blocks about their longitudinal axes at asubstantially constant speed as they are moved in a linear path throughsaid device, and means for removing said printing blocks from saiddevice in sequence.

Schwarz Apr. 5, 1898 Hassler Sept. 24, 1946

1. AN EXPOSURE DEVICE FOR PRINTING BLOCKS SUCH AS PRINTING CYLINDERS FORINTAGLIO PRINTING COMPRISING A STATIONARY LIGHT SOURCE, CONVEYOR MEANSDISPOSED BELOW SAID LIGHT SOURCE FOR MOVING PRINTING BLOCKS BENEATH SAIDLIGHT SOURCE AND THUS EXPOSING THE PRINTING BLOCKS, AND DRIVE MEANS FORENGAGING AND ROTATING THE PRINTING BLOCKS DURING THE MOVEMENT THEREOFBELOW SAID LIGHT SOURCE, WHEREBY ALL OF THE PERIPHERY OF EACH PRINTINGBLOCK WILL BE EQUALLY EXPOSED.